Brassiere



Jan. 27, 1925. v 1,524,475

M. P. CASE BnAsslfiiiis Filer A ril 5, 1924 2 Sheot|I-Sheet 1 M. P. CASEBRASSIERE 2 Shoots-Sheet Filed April 5, 1924 Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED srrss MARIE.PATRICIA CASE, 0 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

isnasslnnn.

Application filed April 5, 1924.

To all 1.0710712 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, Manic PATRICIA CASE, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Chicago, in. the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Brassiere, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates, generally, to ladies wearing apparel, but hasparticular relation to bra'ssieres of a type more especially designed tobe worn with or without corsets and under evening Costumes or dresses ofvery low cut in the backs, and it consists in certain peculiarities ofthe construction, novel design, combination, arrangement, andeo-operation of the various parts thereof will be hereinafter more fullyset forth and specifically claimed.

Generally speaking, the object of the invention is, the provision of agarment of the above mentioned general character, which shall be of suchconstruction and arrangement of its parts as to fit the bust, as well asthe abdomen of the wearer, in such a manner as to reduce and maintain inreduced form and proper position the bust, and so as to compress andhold the abdomen in position to afford what is termed straight lineeffects of the present modes of dress, besides, furnishing a backlessbrassiere or garment more especially intended and adapted to be wornwith evening gowns of extremely low cut in the backs, which will not, byreason of its backless character or construction, impair or detract fromits efficiency in the means for supporting the garment so as to addcomfort and graceful appearance to the busts and for attaining theattractive line effects above mentioned.

Another object is the provision of a brassiere which shall be simple inconstruction, attractive in appearance and highly elhcient in use, whichcan be readily positioned on the body for giving the desired form orlines thereto, by the wearer, without assistance, and can be quicklysecured in place by the simple act of uniting the ends of a belt orwaist-band.

Still another object is to so construct and unite the parts of thedevice, as to aiford a unitary article having its elements arranged insuch a way as to render it ready for instant use, and so that whenapplied to the body, or put on, the support, position, and form giventhereby to the busts and abdomen, will be automatically accom- SerialNo. 704,367.

plished and comfortably maintained as long as the garment is worn.

it further object is to so construct the brassiere that it may be madein but few sizes, to the end that the size and shape of a single garmentwill be suitable for a consideri ble number of persons of differentsizes of developments.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in thefollowing description andexplanation, which willbe more readilyunderstood when read in con nection with the accompanying in which anembodiment of which theinvention is susceptible as illustrated, it beingunderstood that modifications and changes may be resorted to without adeparture from the spirit of the invention so long as they fall withinthe scope of the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In the drawings,-

Figure l is a front perspective view of the body of a woman showing abrassiere embodying my improvements in operative position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a back view.

Fig. 3 is a detached front or face viewof the garment.

Fig. l is a detail face view of a portion thereof,

Figs. 5 and G are detached face views of other parts of the garment, and

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 3 looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

Corresponding numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to a inclusive of thedrawings, it will be seen and understood comprises a front which isdesignated as a whole by the numeral 10, which is of a verticallyelongated piece of a width to em brace the front of the body so that itsside edges will be disposed sid'istantially in vertical lines extendingdownwardly from suitable points below the arm pits of the wearer to a.slight distance below the waist line, from which latter points the sideedges of the front- 10 are downwardly converged in curved lines whichmeet each other'at the vertical middle of the front. This front isprovided in its upper portion with a depending cut-away portion 11substantially of horse-shoe shape for the reception of an drawings,

that the brassiere inset or ornamental material, the construction ofwhich will be presently explained.

The front is by preference made of a single piece 12, see Fig. 7, ofmaterial, but if desired, it can be made of two pieces which may besecured together at their straight meeting edges midway between the sideed es of the front. In the present instance i have shown the front 10 asbeing made of a single piece 12 of any suitable material such asbatiste, to the front or face surface of which is secured lining 13 ofsatin or the like. The patterns or shape of the :and said edges maypieces 12' and 13 are of the same shape and substantially of the samesize and secured together at their edges by means of stitches,

be trimmed with ornamental edging, not shown, of any suitable kind.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings it will be seen that theupper ends on each side of the cut-away part 11 are slightly downwardlydeflected from their inner edges and that each of the side edges of thefront 10 isprovided with a vertically disposed pocket 14 in eachof whichis located a feather-bone or the like for providing upright flexible,yet somewhat rigid supports for said portions of the front. At itsmiddle portion, the front 10 is provided with a vertically disposedpocket 16 in which is located a stiffening element such as featherbone,which pocket and bone extends from the middle portion of the cut-awaypart 11 to the lower extremity of the front, from which latter point atab- 17 provided with an apertured fastener 18 for the purpose ofengaging a suitabl projection on the front of the corset 19 at asuitable point below the front 10 when a corset is worn, as shown inFig. 1 of the drawings, said tab and fastener being employed to assistin holding the front 10 in proper position.

The ornamental. inset for the cut-away portion 11 of the front 10 isdesignated as a whole by the numeral 20, see Fig. 3, and may, be made ofa piece of batiste 21 of a shape to correspond with the cut-away portion11 and a piece of lace 22 or other ornamental material, which is ofsubstantially the same size and shape as the foundation piece 21 andsecured thereto by stitches or in any other well known way, it beingunderstood that the thus prepared ornamental inset my be secured to theedges of the cutaway portion 11 by stitches or otherwise. At thejuncture of the upper ends of the parts of the front 10 on each side ofthe cut-away portion 11 with the upper portion of the sides of the inset20, one end of a cross-sectional circular elastic suspender or member 23is secured, the other end of each of which suspenders or members issecured to the side edge or the pocket let of the front 10 adjacentthereto at a point on a horizontal line drawn through the bases of thebreasts at about their horizontal middle, as will be readily understoodby reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The suspenders ormembers 23 are by preference round in cross-section for the purpose ofpreventing them becoming twisted and causing discomfort to the wearer,which might occur if the-y were made of flat or tape-like webbing orelastic, and said suspenders may be covered loosely with an ornamentalcovering of any suitable design and material.

Connected to each side of the front 10 or to the lower portion of eachof the pockets 14 so as to be located at the waist line of the wearerwhen the front is in position on the body, is one end of a strap 24, offlat or tape-like elastic material, one of which straps has at its outerend a hook 25 and the other of which straps has at its outer end aneyelet 26 for detachable engagement with said hook.

Connected at its lowed portion or one of its ends to each of the straps24 near its free end, is a loop member or connection 27 which is bypreference made of cross-sectionally circu ar elastic material, and asis clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawmgs, each of theseconnections is looped over one of the suspenders or members 23 whichextend from the upper portion of the front 10 over the shoulders of thewearer thence downwardly along the back and connected at their rear endsto the sides or pockets 14. of the front at about the positions abovedescribed.

By forming the suspenders 23 and loop connections 27 ofcross-sectionally round or circular elastic material, it is manifestthat such formation of said members will more readily permit of relativemovements thereof with respect to one another, which movement becomesnecessary in the movement of the body and arms of the wearer. As beforestated, the straps 24 are connected to the sides of the front 10 at suchpoints thereof as to conform with the waist line of the wearer when thegarment is in position thereon, and said straps constitute thewaist-band or belt which is fastened together at the middle of the waistline on the back of the wearer.

Secured to each of the straps 24 near its free end and extendedlaterally and downwardly is an elastic stra or piece 28, the other endof each of w iich is secured to the adjacent side edge of the front at apoint below the lower end of the pocket or feather-bone on said side ofthe front. By the arrangement of the members or suspenders 23, straps24c, loop connections 27, and straps 28, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2of the drawings, and by reason of their cooperation with each other, itis apparent and the connections at the lower restart that the front 10will be securely, constant.- ly,'and comfortably held in proper positionto give the desired line effects and form to the womans figure and so asto compress andmaintain in compressed condition the busts and abdomen asthe suspenders or members 23 will prevent any downward movement of thegarment, 'any material up ward movement being prevented by the tab 17andits connection with the corset when the latter is worn, and when notworn, by means of straps of tape or webbing 29 secured at their upperends to the lower portion of the front 10 one on each side of thecentral pocket 16, and connected. at their lower ends to the tops of thestockings of the wearer. The members 29 may be of elastic material andas shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings, are slightly downwardlydiverged from e'ach other so that their connections with the stockingsat their lower portions may be located outwardly of the legs,

The front 10 may be provided in each of its sides at points adjacent thelower connecting points of the suspenders 3 with darts 30 and theornament-a1 piece, with one or more darts 31 on each side thereof, whichformations will secure a good fit of the garment on the user.

Again referring to the rigging or harness comprising the suspenders ormembers 23, straps 24, loop connections 27, straps 28, which latter maybe of flat elastic material, end of the front 10 for holding it down, itis obvious that when said members are placed in their operativepositions on the body of the wearer, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, especially in the latter view, the elastic members will exertinward pressure on the sides of the front 10 and also tensionlongitudinally with respect to the front 10 as well as the body of thewearer, and that thus the garment will be comfortably held andmaintained in proper position and against dislocation by contortions ormovements of the body and arms. It is further apparent that by reason ofthe connection between the suspenders 28 and the waist band provided bythe loop connections 27, which are movable with respect to thesuspenders, that lateral contraction and expansion of the side edges ofthe front 10 will be afforded' Furthermore, as the straps 28 aredisposed at their outer ends below the waist band composed of themembers 24 and attached at their outer ends to the sides of the front10, the pull or stress exerted on said sides towards each other will bedistributed over a considerable area, thereby preventing concentrationof such stress which would cause discomfort to the wearer.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a brassiere, the combination with a vertically elongated frontsection overlying the busts and upper portion of the abdomen andextending side-wise to the front of the shoulders and to beneath the armpits and having means at its lower portion for holding it against upwardmovement, of a suspender secured at one of its ends to each side of saidsection near the upper end of said side and at its other end to theupper end of said section near its adjacent side edge providing shoulderstraps, a belt comprising a pair of straps each secured at one of itsends to opposite sides of the said section on the waist-line thereof andhaving means to detachably connect their other ends together, and amember secured to each of the straps of said belt near the free endthereof and each connected to one of said shoulder straps near its pointof connection with the adjacent side of said front section.

In a brassierc, the combination with a vertically elongated frontsection overlying the busts and upper portion of the abdomen andextending side-wise to the front of the shoulders and to beneath the armpits and having at each of its sides a vertically disposed stilfeningelement and provided at its lower portion with means for holding itagainst upward movement, of a suspendersecured at one of its ends toeach side of said section near the upper end of one of said stiffeningelements and at its other end to the upper end of said section inwardlyof the upper end of the adjacent stiffening element providing shoulderstraps, a belt comprising a pair of straps each secured atone of itsends to the opposite sides of the said section on the waist-line thereofand having means to detachably connect their other ends together, and aloop member secured to each of the straps of said belt near the free endthereof and each movably connected to one of said shoulder straps nearits point of connection with the adjacent side of said section.

3. In a brassiere, the combination with a vertically elongated frontsection overlying the busts and upper portion of the abdomen andextending side-wise to the front of the shoulders and to beneath the armpits and having at each of its side edges a vertically disposed pocketand midway between said edges a vertically disposed pocket, of aflexible element located in each of said pockets, said section havingmeans at its lower portion for holding it against upward movement andprovided in its upper portion with a cutaway portion, an inset attachedto the edges of said cutaway portion, a suspender secured at one of itsends to each side of said section near the upper end oi each of saidsidelpockets and at its other end to the upper end of said sectioninwardly of and near the adjacent side pocket providing shoulder straps,a belt comprising a pair of straps each secured at one of its ends toopposite sides of the said section on the waist-line thereof and havingmeans to detachably connect their other ends together, a loop membersecured at one ofits ends to each of the straps of said belt near thefree end thereof and eaclrmovably connected to one of said shoulderstraps near its point of connection with the adjacent side of saidsection, and a strap secured at one of its ends to each oi the straps ofsaid belt and extended downwardly and outwardly from said belt strap andattached at its outer end to said section near its side edge.

at. In a hrassiere, the combination with a vertically elongated coversection overlying the busts and upper portion of the abdomen andextending sidewise to substantially vertieal lines slightly in front ofthe shoulders and terminating at its upper end at points slightly belowthe arm pits and having means at its lower portion for holding itagainst upward movement, of a Suspender secured at one of its ends toeach side of said cover section near the upper end of said side and atits other end to the upper end of said section near its adjacent sideedge providing shoulder straps positioned and maintained on theshoulders directly above the arm pits, a belt comprising a air of strapseach secured at one of its en s to opposite sides of the said section onthe waist line thereof and having means to detaehably connect theirother ends together, and a member secured to each of the straps of saidbelt near the free end thereof and each connected to one of saidshoulder straps near its point of connection with the adjacent side ofsaid section.

MARIE PATRICIA CASE

